The library was more of a safe haven than any other place in the school. It's the quiet thrum of studying students and pages being turned, the odd gasp of excitement quickly muffled with a smile that said 'I know something you don't.
Reluctantly when the whistle blew to indicate the end of lunch, I gathered my things, placing back the copy of the book I had been reading. 1984 by George Orwell is one of my favourite books. I saw Mrs. Danvers on the way out and offered her a small grateful smile, "Are you sure you don't want to take that one out, dear?"
"Oh no, I have a copy at home I just didn't know what to choose so I went with my safety book,"
"Ah, that makes sense, every good reader has a comfort book, mine happens to be Jane Eyre,"
"I do love the Bronte sisters, I'm sure we're studying Wuthering Heights as one of our English books," I commented just as the second warning whistle rang out, intended to insight urgency in the last straggling students.
"Oh you head off now dear, don't want you to be late and if you are, just have your teacher email me, I'll just say you were speaking to me,"
"Thank you so much," and I was off, navigating my way through a new school trying to find room D4, where we had Drama. Unlike my old school, Drama was mandatory for every student, not to take as a GCSE, but to make us more well-rounded students, and evoke collaboration between a year group where we would have to work together to put on a production.
I had a soft spot for theatre, I loved acting. Well I did love it, but it had been years since I had put myself forward for any roles, small or not, I was too afraid, too afraid of what he would do to me. The more attention it would draw, the more opportunities it would provide for me to be ridiculed.
The room was packed when I entered, it was rather a poor decision to try and make the majority of the oldest year group stand in a room made to fit 30 at most. 40 at a push.
I spotted Cheery in the crowd and watched her face brighten as she caught my eye. She was quick to wade her way through the clog of teenagers pushed into this far too small room, and towards me, "Hey," she smiled widely linking her arm with mine, "Heard about the insanity that happened at lunch, sorry I wasn't there, I was out getting lunch. The school food really upsets my stomach."
"It's OK, I'm just glad I have a friend," I smiled the sort of smile I only reserved for people that I felt I would spend my forever's with and I hoped to Allah that Cheery would be one of those people.
"I'm glad your my friend too, you really do shake things up around here, well would you look at that," she gestured to the other side of the room and there they were the three boys that had made it their chief mission to make my life miserable. To corner me into some ludicrous day, but I'd be damned if I bent so easily to their whims.
If they wanted a challenge I would happily provide.
"Alright, guys!" the teacher announced, she had a bob of brown hair falling just shy of her shoulders, the widest eyes I had ever seen, magnified by her thick rimmed glasses, unlike mine her's were rounded and pinched at the bridge of her nose, whilst mine were more of the standard sort of curvy-rectangle shape most glasses were.
We all shifted so that we could see her as they announced some ground rules and expectations of what they wanted this production to look at. When I looked back up, the guys that had been staring at me so intently where no where to be found, but I didn't linger on their absence I was more intrigued by what they play would be.
"I'm Ms Thatcher for all of you that don't know, and I will be leading the production of this years play," she spun around scanning the room and drawing in the students with her widening smile and kind eyes, "I'm pleased to announce that this year's production will be the comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', one of my personal favourites with a tonne of different characters you can try out for. There's a role for everyone, there's enough fairies in Oberon's court alone, and I am all for amending the script adding part," she paused a moment, seemingly pressing eye contract with each person, showing them that she truly believed everyone had a role to play. It was refreshing to see a teacher like this, one who didn't ignore your opinions, who made you feel involved, who wasn't afraid to sacrifice some of their power to their students. It took a teacher that really understood her pupils to be able to relinquish even an ounce of power.
"I see some excited faces which is good to see. I thought a comedy like this, with a love plot but also a lot of chaos would really suit this year group, I know how crazy things can get," there were a few chuckles following her words. It appeared that she was a well liked teacher which made me want to get in her good graces. She seemed so nice.
"The auditions are today, but firstly, I wanted to ask, do we have any artists, musicians or tech savy people that would really love to work behind the scenes?"
There were a few excited murmurs and hands that went up, as sections of the year group broke off, some with confidence in their abilities, other shyer students who just wanted a supporting role stepped forward and I was about to step forward too, when I suddenly felt someone grab my shoulder.
"No you don't," a smooth voice chastised me, "You're going to audition for the main role."
I scowled, "And who's going to make me?"
"We are."